Some may wonder what is the point of investing in physiotherapy when taking medications or getting an injection can sometimes appear to resolve orthopedic conditions…to answer this question…I think that most would agree that properly-built bridges would not collapse under normal circumstances; the same applies to the human body.
Tissues are prone to fail with improper loading or overloading just like bridges without a solid foundation. As an example, most people with tendinitis of the shoulder do not develop this condition by chance. It is usually caused by repetitive movement or inherent weaknesses at the shoulder complex. In this case, medications might help alleviate the pain or decrease the inflammation; however, there is always the chance that it would be recurrent if you do not investigate further into the potential cause of the pain.
Only a thorough assessment can ensure that we are working on the right structures. Patient may present with pain at lateral aspect of elbow and symptoms resembling a tennis elbow for example; however, we must rule out the possibility that it is not coming from the neck. Our body is very good at sending us mixed or deceiving messages, it is therefore best to get it checked out by a healthcare professional trained to do so. Please see section on “Understanding Pain” & “Management of Pain” for more details.